he is honest. >> it's a political stalemate that has washington and havana on edge. in this military hospital, american contractor alan gross has been imprisoned for the past three years, convicted of smuggling sophisticated satellite equipment to this country's tiny jewish community. but gross says he was only trying to bring internet access to cuba. now he's been sentenced to 50 years for acts against the state and he's lost over 100 pounds. >> he feels like a solar left in the field to die. >> reporter: his family this weekend is launching a public relations campaign demanding his freedom. this top cuban official tells nbc news that his country is willing to talk to washington about releasing gross. >> we appreciate that there are human concerns. nobody enjoys life in prison. >> reporter: but for the cubans, there's a catch. they want president obama to release five cuban agents convicted in 2001 of running a spy ring in south florida. the secret agents were dispatched. >> cuba doesn't have the drones to neutralize the terrorists abroad. they need to send people t